Steve jolted awake on the couch with a gasp. His weak lungs let out a painful protest, along with his ribs. He lowered his thin hand and clutched his side. He had just moved in with Bucky, but the nightmares about his mom's death kept haunting him.

Bucky, whom had been sleeping nearby, jolted awake as well at the sound of Steve's distress. He rubbed his eyes quickly and walked over. "You alright?" He knelt down.

Steve swallowed and let out a painful exhale. "Nightmare.." he muttered.

"Oh.." Bucky murmured. "'Bout your 'ma?"

Steve nodded and looked down.

Bucky sat on the couch next to his friend, wrapping his arms around his thin shoulders gently and bringing him close. Steve leaned against them, tears threatening to spill over.

"It's alright, pal...I'll always be here for ya."

Steve swallowed and looked up at him, eyes bloodshot. His lips quirked into a small smile, but quickly disappeared.

"Come here.." Bucky turned toward him and opened his arms. Steve quickly moved and wrapped his arms around his friend, while burying his head into Bucky's chest.

He wrapped his arms around Steve's back gently, resting his own head on his shoulder.

Soon, he could hear Steve begin to sob, clutching onto him tighter as if he were a lifeline. He stayed silent to ensure Steve didn't send himself into an asthma attack.

Thankfully, he didn't, and he fell asleep against his chest.

Bucky gently maneuvered Steve back onto the couch. He grabbed a blanket and gently draped it over him before getting to his feet, lips quirking up into a smile.

At that moment, a gunshot rang out.

Bucky instantly turned toward the noise, but the next thing he knew a bullet had penetrated a door and struck his chest.

Almost instantly, he felt the excruciating limit of oxygen. Breathing became difficult after a few moments and he guessed it had pierced a lung.

Another one came through the door, this time it struck him in the leg and sent him to the ground, struggling and failing to regain his footing.

He groaned, soon starting to gasp for air at how difficult it was to pull it in. The pain set in around that time as well, causing his back to arch painfully.

"Steve-" He gasped, hands curling tightly at his sides.

Steve woke up, blinking and swinging his legs off the side of the couch. His breathing hitched when he saw Bucky.

"BUCKY!"

He was at his side in a second, grabbing his arm with shaking hands and trying to calm him down.

"Bucky!" His voice was choked up this time.

The man let out another gasp, turning his head slowly to look at him. "You…are you...okay?" He took in another wheezing breath.

Steve swallowed and felt Bucky's hand tighten around his. "I-I'm f-fine, but you-you-" He could barely articulate the words. His panic had gotten the best of him, but he couldn't go into an asthma attack..Not now.

He could see the blood rolling down Bucky's shirt from his chest, along with the blood covering his left leg.

Bucky opened his mouth to say something between his desperate and wheezing gasps for air, but his back arched in another wave of pain. His hand instinctively tightened even more on Steve, and when he finally let go, there were a few bruises starting to form.

Bucky coughed blood, catching sight of Steve's hand. "S-Sorr...y-"

"It's fine, Buck.." Steve quickly reassured, but quickly after that the tears began to flow and he let out stifled sobs.

Bucky reached his trembling hand toward Steve's, but he didn't have the strength to move it anymore and it dropped onto his knee.

Steve looked up and grabbed it, squeezing tightly, though he continued to sob.

"Steve-" Bucky wheezed, coughing violently another few times.

He tried, desperately, to push himself up against the nearby wall, but between pained and wheezing gasps, he couldn't.

Bucky did manage to drag his nearly-limp hand across the floor and grab Steve's.

"Stevie.." He muttered weakly. "Go-" He coughed, then gasped. "Get help..I'll-" He stopped again. "Be okay.."

Steve kept himself glued to his spot, staring wide-eyed at his friend. "N-No. I'm not-I-I can't leave you.."

Bucky squeezed his hand. "Go..It'll be fine," His body twitched and he pulled in another gasp. Each time he spoke, it was out of breath and exhausting. "I promise.."

Steve silently nodded and got up, understanding that his friend was likely running out of time.

Once he got outside the apartment door, he started yelling as loud as he could for help. His lungs screamed out in protest, but he didn't care.

Soon, he felt an asthma attack coming on. He noticed someone coming though; a stranger, but he didn't mind as long as they could help.

He quickly motioned for him and then ran inside, gasping for air himself as an asthma attack took over.

"Steve?" Bucky glanced up at him, eyes glassy. They widened within a split-second. "Steve!" He coughed, arm twitching. He gasped again.

Steve fell to his knees next to Bucky, eyes wide and gasping heavily.

"Steve- Steve, listen to me.." Bucky gasped. "Breathe..just-just breathe...okay?"

Steve swallowed roughly and nodded, trying his best to control his breathing just as the man he had seen came rushing in.

"Oh dear," He muttered, spotting Bucky. "We need to get him to a hospital. You don't look well, either," He glanced at Steve.

"'m fine..just asthma.." He breathed, out of breath.

The man still looked concerned but headed over to help Bucky.

"He's gonna be okay, right?" Steve asked, keeping eye-contact with his friend.

The man nodded. "If we get him to a hospital, he will be."

A Few Hours Later.

Steve was sitting in a hospital room, watching Bucky's shaky breathing. He put his hands over his face, allowing the guilt to wash over him.

"Steve.."

His head shot up. His bloodshot eyes met Bucky's and he felt intense relief settle over him.

"Bucky!"

"Hi.." Bucky's lip quirked up into a small, then frowning upon seeing his friend's state. "Are you okay?"

Steve nodded jerkily. "Just...scared.."

Bucky continued to stare at him as if he were hiding something else but decided not to push it. He reached out and grabbed Steve's arm.

"I'm fine, pal..I will be, anyway. Feel much better."

Steve smiled at that, followed by Bucky upon knowing he made his friend feel at least a little bit better.

"I'm sorry.." Bucky breathed. "For..what happened..You shouldn't have had to seen that.."

Steve shrugged. ''s fine.."

Bucky really didn't believe he'd be fine, but smiled anyway.